Eating disorder

This study compares two weight-loss strategies: GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide or tirzepatide) versus a structured diet and exercise program. Adults with a BMI of 27.5 or higher are followed for three months to see which approach better improves heart and metabolic markers, …

This study tests three different intensities of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) against standard treatment to see which best reduces binge eating episodes in adults with binge eating disorder. Over 21 weeks, participants receive individual therapy sessions ranging from low to …

This study is testing a type of family-based therapy for teenage girls with anorexia. The therapy involves the whole family in treatment. Researchers want to see if it helps girls recover and no longer meet the criteria for an eating disorder. Sixty participants are being recruit…

This study looks at whether adding GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to cognitive behavioral therapy helps adults with severe obesity and binge eating disorder. About 80 participants will either take a GLP-1 drug or not, while both groups attend therapy sessions. Researchers will track cha…

This study is testing whether two questionnaires (SCOFF-F and EDE-Q) can accurately detect eating disorders in pregnant women, separating them from normal pregnancy-related eating concerns. Researchers will compare answers from 50 pregnant women with and without diagnosed eating …

This study is testing whether a simple dental checklist can help identify people who might have an eating disorder. Researchers will check the mouths of 461 adults aged 18 to 40 for signs like tooth erosion or other oral issues. They will then compare the checklist results with s…

Researchers at Duke University are testing FlexED, a smartphone-based gamified intervention designed to help young women aged 18 to 25 who are at risk for eating disorders. The program uses interactive exercises and games based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to teach psycho…

This trial tests a school-based program called the Young Athlete Body Project, designed for adolescent athletes in Norway. The program includes digital lessons and group workshops that challenge unhealthy appearance ideals and build resistance to social pressures. Researchers wil…

This trial tests whether a single online session can help prevent eating disorders in young adults at risk. Participants will complete a screening survey and then receive a brief intervention that teaches about habits and how to change them. The study aims to see if this approach…

This study tests a digital chatbot program designed to prevent eating disorders in adolescents aged 13 to 19 who are at risk. Participants use the chatbot daily for three months to complete modules based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, focusing on body image and eating behaviors…

This study tests a 6-week group program called PrevED MR that uses mixed reality and virtual reality to teach emotion regulation skills to teens and young adults at risk for eating disorders. The program includes 12 sessions combining therapy exercises with immersive experiences.…

This study tests a 6-month lifestyle program designed to prevent obesity and eating disorders in transgender and gender-diverse adolescents aged 10-14. Participants attend monthly group sessions and receive weekly supportive messages. The goal is to improve quality of life and bo…

This study tests whether an eHealth app that coaches parents can help lower the energy balance in children aged 2-6 who are already above the 97th BMI percentile. About 148 families will be randomly assigned to use the app or receive standard care. The goal is to see if the app c…

This study tests whether adding a mobile app and digital monitoring to standard group therapy can better prevent suicide risk in women with eating disorders. Researchers will compare two groups of 150 women aged 18-65 who have recently had suicidal thoughts or attempts. One group…

This study is testing a program called the Body Project, designed to prevent eating disorders in girls and young women aged 15 to 22 in Nova Scotia. Participants attend group sessions led by peer mentors, either in person or online, and fill out questionnaires before and after. T…

This study tests whether giving lactase enzyme drops with formula milk can prevent feeding intolerance in very premature infants (≤32 weeks). 120 babies will receive either lactase or placebo for 14 days. Researchers will track vomiting, stomach swelling, and leftover milk in the…

This study tests an online program called PRETA, designed to reduce risk factors for eating disorders in pre-adolescents (ages 10-12). The program includes interactive sessions for students, plus materials for parents and teachers. About 1,068 students from schools in Spain will …

This study tests whether a type of talk therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help people with type 1 diabetes who also have eating disorders. Participants will be randomly assigned to ACT, supportive diabetes counseling, or a waitlist. The goal is to see if …

This study tests whether adding a peer coach or parent coach to standard eating disorder therapy helps teens aged 12-18 recover faster. 70 participants will receive 12 weeks of therapy plus either a parent coach with patient education materials or patient coaching with parent edu…

This trial tests FlexED, a digital game-like intervention for young women aged 15–25 with eating disorders. Over seven 20-minute sessions on a mobile phone, users follow an avatar through a story and complete interactive exercises based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).…

This study tests a digital program called FlexED that uses games and exercises to help young women and girls (ages 15-25) who struggle with body image and eating disorder symptoms. Participants are randomly assigned to either the FlexED program or online education modules. The go…

This trial explores whether a non-invasive device that delivers mild electrical stimulation to the head can help reduce anxiety before meals in adults hospitalized for eating disorders. Participants will use the Alpha-Stim AID device for 20-minute sessions before breakfast, lunch…

This study will test a smartphone chatbot called Wysa that delivers cognitive-behavioral therapy-based self-help for adults with eating disorders. 800 participants will use the chatbot daily for eight weeks. The goal is to see if this digital tool can reduce eating disorder sympt…

This study tests two smartphone-based programs for adults with binge eating disorders. One program uses heart rate feedback and breathing exercises, while the other uses guided body scans to help people connect with internal sensations like hunger. The goal is to reduce binge eat…

This study tests whether adding dramatherapy—using role play, improvisation, and creative exercises—to a standard exercise program improves quality of life for adults with obesity and eating disorders. Participants are in medical or bariatric care and will be randomly assigned to…

This study tests whether a text message program that helps people reduce 'safety behaviors' (like checking mirrors or seeking reassurance) can lessen appearance anxiety, body dysmorphic symptoms, and related eating or social anxiety issues. About 300 adults with high appearance c…

This study explores whether teaching people emotion regulation skills tailored to their individual needs works better than a one-size-fits-all approach. Researchers will enroll 390 adults with emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, and assign them to practi…

This study tests a mobile app designed to help adults with eating disorders stay motivated and ready for treatment while they are on a waitlist. Participants will either use the app for four weeks or continue with standard waitlist care. The goal is to see if the app can prevent …

This study tests whether a virtual therapy guided by parents can help teens with anorexia nervosa while reducing long wait times for treatment. About 90 families will take part, with parents leading sessions using a structured program. The goal is to see if this approach eases sy…

This study tests two types of social therapy for young adults (ages 18-30) with eating disorders or anxiety. One group gets educational sessions about brain function and social processing; the other adds interactive art tasks done in teams. Researchers will track changes in eatin…

This study tests whether adding a digital mindfulness program to usual care helps adults aged 18-65 recover from emotional disorders like depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and eating disorders. Participants attend online group sessions and use a WeChat mini-program for daily exerci…

This study looks at 40 children who get most of their nutrition through a feeding tube. Researchers want to see if a thicker blenderized tube feed helps reduce stomach symptoms like nausea and bloating compared to a thinner one. Each child will try both types over 16 weeks, and p…

This study is testing an AI-powered chatbot called Exp-ED that guides teens and young adults through exposure therapy exercises to reduce anxiety about weight gain. Twenty participants in a partial hospitalization program for eating disorders will use the app for six weeks. Resea…

This study tests a 6-week virtual program called the Diabetes Body Project 2, designed to prevent eating disorders in women aged 18-40 with type 2 diabetes. The program includes weekly group sessions and home exercises to improve body image and reduce disordered eating. Researche…

This study tests whether a team of a psychologist, speech therapist, and motor therapist can help children aged 2-7 with neurodevelopmental disorders eat more foods and have fewer mealtime struggles. 24 children will be split into two groups: one gets the team therapy, the other …

This study tests whether a zinc-containing syrup (Biolizin) can improve eating habits in children aged 6 to 36 months who have poor appetite without a known medical cause. About 110 children will take the supplement or receive standard care for 42 days. Researchers will measure c…

This study tests a mobile app called BEST-U that helps university students reduce binge eating. About 74 students with binge-eating disorder or bulimia will use the app or a comparison therapy. The goal is to see if the app makes it easier for students to get effective help witho…

This study compares two types of talk therapy for teenagers with eating disorders: enhanced cognitive-behavior therapy and family-based treatment. About 200 adolescents will be randomly assigned to one of the two therapies. The goal is to see if cognitive-behavior therapy works a…

This study tests whether a personalized digital treatment program is practical and helpful for adolescents aged 15-18 with certain eating disorders. Over 10 weeks, participants use an online program with weekly therapist contact and complete questionnaires about their symptoms an…

This study tests a new way to treat eating disorders by personalizing therapy based on each person's most troubling symptoms. Researchers use smartphone surveys to map individual symptom patterns, then match participants to specific therapy modules. The goal is to see if this tai…

This study tests a type of talking therapy called exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults who have both functional dyspepsia (a stomach condition causing pain and fullness) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), leading to weight loss. Fifty p…

This study compares two ways of weighing teens and young adults with eating disorders like anorexia: open weighing (where they see their weight and talk about fears) and blind weighing (where they don't see it). The goal is to see if open weighing reduces anxiety about weight gai…

Deep brain stimulation uses implanted electrodes to send electrical pulses to specific brain regions, and doctors are still working out how to tune it for each patient. This study records brain activity while adults with neurological or psychiatric conditions perform cognitive an…

Researchers are observing children aged 1 to 16 who receive all their nutrition through a gastrostomy tube. The study checks how the mix of gut bacteria changes after the children switch to Compleat Paediatric Nature Mix, a formula made from food-derived ingredients. Over six mon…

This observational study looks at whether the bacteria in the gut are linked to eating disorders in children and teenagers. Researchers will compare the gut microbiome, diet, and psychological factors between young patients with eating disorders and healthy peers. They will also …

This study is testing a smartphone app that uses brief surveys and phone sensor data to detect when someone with an eating disorder might be at higher risk for behaviors like binge eating, restricting food, or purging. The app then delivers short video lessons on coping skills. T…

This study looks at how nomophobia—the fear of being without your smartphone—relates to stress, body image, and food addiction in university students aged 18 to 30. Researchers will use questionnaires and body measurements to find connections. The goal is to better understand the…

This study looks at how certain thinking patterns, called metacognitive beliefs, relate to eating disorders in teenagers. Researchers will compare 72 girls aged 12-17 who have an eating disorder with a similar group of girls without one. The goal is to understand if these thought…

This study looks at how certain psychiatric drugs may change heart rhythms in children and teens. Researchers will track 100 young patients with eating disorders, mood disorders, or psychosis who are starting a new psychiatric medication. They will perform ECGs at the start and a…

This study tests whether combining a one-time session of brain stimulation (rTMS or electrical scalp stimulation) with emotion regulation training helps people with mood, anxiety, or related disorders better control their emotions. 240 participants will learn either cognitive res…

This study tests whether offering three early phone calls and five online support group sessions to adults with eating disorders (like anorexia or bulimia) during their wait for specialized care can reduce the number of people who drop out before starting treatment. About 215 adu…

This study surveys 269 healthcare professionals in Alsace, France, including psychiatrists, midwives, and general practitioners, to understand their knowledge and practices around eating disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The goal is to identify gaps in care an…

This study looks at whether newer automated insulin delivery systems help people with type 1 diabetes have healthier eating behaviors. Researchers will survey over 100 youth and adults across Canada about their eating habits and blood sugar control. The goal is to understand if t…

This pilot study aims to see how common Barrett's esophagus is in people with eating disorders who have been purging (vomiting or ruminating) for at least 5 years. Researchers will use a simple, non-endoscopic device called EsoGuard to collect cell samples from the esophagus. The…

This study aims to identify subgroups of people with diabetes who share similar patterns between their blood sugar levels and mental health. By using smartphone surveys and continuous glucose monitors, researchers will create 'digital twins'—virtual models that can predict how me…

This study tests whether functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans can detect changes caused by a single dose of naltrexone in adolescents aged 13-21 with eating disorders involving binge eating or purging. Participants receive both naltrexone and a placebo in random order, two weeks apa…

This study interviews 30 competitive athletes to learn what they believe causes and triggers eating disorders in sports. Half of the participants have had an eating disorder, and half have not. The goal is to compare their experiences and gather ideas on how to better prevent the…